


Venice

by simplegirl



Category: Nathan Barley (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-21
Updated: 2014-05-21
Packaged: 2018-01-25 20:47:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1661912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simplegirl/pseuds/simplegirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan and Jones, pre-series, on a trip to Venice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Venice

Jones gets a gig playing at some kind of event for the Biennale in Venice. They take the sleeper train through France and between Jones wanting to have sex on the train and the bumpiness of the ride, they're not very rested when they arrive. It's early evening when they check in to their hotel and they just drop off their things, then head back out to check out the neighbourhood. Jones is clingy, as he always is when he's ready to crash. He's practically wrapped around Dan's arm and resting his head on Dan's shoulder as they walk. It's not really comfortable and some of the side streets are very narrow so it's not at all practical, but Jones won't let go and Dan doesn't insist.  
  
"Do you want something to eat, Jonesy?" Dan asks quietly.  
  
"Dunno. Do you?"  
  
"I could do with something."  
  
Jones just hums in response and they wander a bit longer in silence before coming to a cafe. "Beautiful," Jones mutters quietly when they take a table outside by the canal. Jones can't decide on anything and seems too distracted by the lights reflected in the water to give the menu any proper attention, so Dan just orders some pasta for himself and an order of chips from the kids' menu for Jones and asks for a side of mayonnaise. The waiter gives him a funny look, but he's probably used to tourists having stranger requests. Jones beams when the chips arrive and gives Dan's hand a squeeze under the table.  
  
  
  
They sleep until the early afternoon the next day. Dan is still in his pyjama bottoms, sitting at the small writing desk, flipping idly through a guidebook when Jones steps out of the bathroom, fresh out of the shower, toweling his hair. He tosses his towel onto the back of a chair lies back down on the bed. He closes his eyes and stretches languorously, his toes pointed and arms reaching out above him. Dan feels a sudden rush of affection for him. Something about the way he's so comfortable with himself around Dan. And the pleased little grin on his face. Dan sometimes thinks there's nothing Jones couldn't convince him to do with just a flash of his smile. Dan watches the rise and fall of his chest and his dark eye lashes fluttering against his pale skin.  
  
Dan gets up from the desk and climbs onto the bed, wrapping his arms around Jones's hips. Jones lets out a yelp and his eyes fly open as Dan presses a kiss to his bare stomach before resting his head against Jones's middle. Jones sometimes feels Dan has become more distant lately - he knows things at work have not been great for him and although Dan was never much of a talker, he seems to have become even quieter in recent months - so Jones feels a flutter of happiness in his stomach at Dan's gesture. He weaves his fingers into Dan's hair and lets his fingers run down the back of Dan's neck and to his shoulders, where his thumbs rub circles into his skin. Neither of them speaks, each one worried they might break whatever this spell is. They just lie like this for a while, Dan clutching Jones fiercely to himself as Jones draws patterns onto his skin. Jones, as always, is the first to break the silence.  
  
"Dan?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"What was that for?"  
  
"I don't know. You just looked so peaceful...so beautiful." He blushes slightly at the admission. Jones tugs at Dan's arms to make him crawl up the bed until they're face to face and kisses him.  
  
  
  
On their last evening in the city Jones insists they go for a ride in a gondola. Dan protests, saying they're for tourists, but Jones reminds him that's exactly what they are and kisses him sweetly before grabbing his jacket and pulling Dan out the door. Jones keeps hurrying Dan as they walk and seems slightly nervous. When they get to the gondolas, Jones pulls a piece of paper from his pocket and reads something to the gondolier in heavily accented Italian with a bashful smile. The gondolier answers and nods in return and Jones's smile gets wider as he says an enthusiastic "Grazie" and gestures for Dan to get in the boat. Dan holds out a hand to help Jones in next to him. The gondolier says something that neither of them understands and they head off.  
  
"What was that all about?" Dan asks.  
  
"You'll see," is all he gets in reply. Dan feels slightly uneasy in boats, especially ones where he's so close to the water, but Jones clutching his hand and bouncing his knees in excitement distracts Dan from his fear.  
  
They don't talk as they ride through the canals and Dan is grateful that they've lucked out and haven't gotten one of the gondoliers who sings. Jones seems to have calmed down and is resting his head on Dan's shoulder. Dan is being lulled by the sound of the waves and Jones's steady breathing when the gondolier speaks. Jones and Dan look up to where he's standing and see him pointing ahead.  
  
Jones lets out an excited gasp and whispers "The bridge of sighs!" to Dan, giving his hand a squeeze. He checks his watch and sits forward on the seat, still clutching Dan's hand. Dan doesn't understand what's so exciting about the bridge. They've seen dozens of bridges in the three days they've been here. But Jones is so excited, he doesn't ask.  
  
"Kiss me," Jones says, turning to Dan when they're nearly directly under the bridge.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Please, Dan. Kiss me."  
  
Dan feels self conscious in front of the gondolier, but is sure couples kissing is just part of his job. He looks back to the gondolier, who is looking the other way. It doesn't make Dan any more comfortable with it, but Jones has such a pleading look in his eyes. Dan forgets his worries momentarily as soon as his lips touch Jones's. He clutches Jones tightly to himself and Jones is making the quiet little pleased noises he makes when they kiss. It's not an aggressive kiss, Dan would almost call it...romantic.  
  
Jones's chest is heaving whey they pull apart and his eyes stay closed for a moment before fluttering open. It takes a moment for him to focus, then he's smiling shyly and puts Dan's arm around his shoulder and snuggles against him.  
  
"Jones..."  
  
"There's a [local legend](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Sighs), see. Something about eternal bliss or something if you kiss beneath the bridge at sunset. And when the bells of St. Mark's Campanile toll. Or something like that. Dunno. I read it somewhere....Fuck. Were the bells ringing? I swear to god if we've fucked it up because of the bells..." but Dan kisses him again before he can finish his threat.


End file.
